Opposition view: Selles laments Reading’s slow start and attempts to clear up red card confusion
Ruben Selles was left ruing the missed opportunities as Reading lost 3-1 to Northampton at Sixfields on Tuesday.
The Cobblers took full advantage of a slow start to score all of their goals in the first 20 minutes, with Sam Hoskins taking one of the early goals.
Reading then fought back and Lee Burge saved a goal-bound shot from Caylan Vickery. Town then took the lead at the other end, with Luis Appéré scoring twice.
Reading had the better of the second period and looked to be on their way to a comeback as Dom Bollard found the net. However, Northampton held firm and Pinnock scored a third goal in stoppage time.
“It’s a tough night and again it was the first part of the game where we were not ready,” admitted Selles. “We started slowly and as a consequence of that we conceded the first goal.
“We came here with an idea of how to play at the start of the game but we did completely the opposite and it’s difficult to come back after that. We had some opportunities to equalise but their goalkeeper made two fantastic saves and then straight after we concede another goal and that makes it very difficult.
“We did well in the second half, we got the goal and we had chances to score again but we make one mistake and it’s 3-1 and unfortunately it’s not good enough.We need to reflect and we need to learn quickly. We’re not scoring enough goals but we’re getting into the right positions so we need to be more ruthless and more clinical with our finishing.
“That’s the thing which is stopping us from winning games. I don’t believe it’s about luck. When it keeps happening, you need to be better and you need to be more ruthless.”
The game came to an end after Clinton Mola was given a second yellow card, followed by a red, but the referee reversed his decision and sent Mola back to the tunnel. Selles said: “He was given a yellow card, but they overturned it and said he hadn’t been given the first yellow card, so that’s why he came back out and played. I don’t know what will happen, we’ll have to wait and see. He played, but it’s possible (he could be banned).”
